Update: So far this school year we have fifteen N-O-T programs and twelve ATS programs running. Two N-O-T programs and eight of the ATS programs have already submitted evaluations for 32 students. Teachers have requested a total of 193 Student Journals so far this year. We have held three N-O-T facilitator training events with 35 participants trained and we have given out $650 in mini-grants and $1,350 in stipends.

 On November 4^th and 5^th The West Virginia N-O-T program was spotlighted at the Share the Vision Conference in Charleston. This conference brought together individuals, communities, agencies and organizations for a statewide prevention conference featuring trainings, networking, national keynotes and a community awards luncheon.

I would like to congratulate the following facilitators for providing the N-O-T & ATS programs in their schools. 

 Survey reveals smokers’ ignorance.

By Amanda Gardner, HealthDay

 http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041213/LIFE07/412130314/1042/Life

 Zoom  -    INFORMATION, PLEASE

 *The majority of people surveyed were unaware of the contents of cigarette smoke:

 * 79 percent didn't know it contained lead;

 * 86 percent did not know it contained radioactive materials;

 * 67 percent didn't know it contained ammonia;

 * 66 percent didn't know it contained arsenic.

 On the positive side:

 * 77 percent wanted more information on the risks of smoking;

 * 63 percent wanted information on ways to quit.

Help is available online from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov. Click on "Environmental Health."

 The majority of smokers don't know the facts about what's in cigarettes and how these ingredients may harm them.

 Most smokers also don't realize there are no health benefits to filtered and low-tar cigarettes, nor do they understand nicotine medications such as patches, according to a survey in the December supplemental issue of "Nicotine & Tobacco Research."

 The survey also found that less than half of the people who smoked the leading light cigarettes knew they have the same amount of tar as regular cigarettes.

 These findings could help fine-tune ways to help people quit, the researchers said.

 "The basic first step you do in any kind of behavior change is to make sure people are fully informed," said lead researcher K. Michael Cummings, chairman of the department of health behavior at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, in Buffalo, N.Y.

 For instance, a lot of people worry that using nicotine patches might cause a heart attack. "This is a myth," said Cummings.

 The researchers surveyed 1,046 adults by telephone.

 More than two-thirds (67 percent) of respondents didn't know if - or incorrectly believed that - nicotine causes cancer. In fact, nicotine makes people addicted to cigarettes, but the cancer-causing effect comes from smoke and tar from the burned tobacco and paper.

 "We're incredibly ignorant about smoking," observed Dr. Ronald Blum, director of the Beth Israel Cancer Center in New York.

 Among the respondents, 39 percent didn't know or had incorrect answers about the health risks of smoking; 65 percent didn't know or were wrong about low-tar and filtered cigarettes, as were 56 percent about nicotine medications.

 Smokers of light cigarettes were particularly ignorant about the dangers posed by those brands, the researchers said. More than 61 percent thought filters made the cigarettes safer; 59 percent believed that advertised reductions in tar made them safer; and 49 percent believed advertised reductions in nicotine increased the safety of the cigarettes, the survey found.

 Slightly less than one-third of smokers realized their light cigarettes contained vent holes designed to dilute the amount of tar and nicotine in the smoke. But people often cover the vents with their fingers, Cummings said.

 "Quitting takes sustained motivation, which can come from any number of places," said Blum. "Part of it can come from an awareness of what this addiction is about - nicotine, tobacco, tar dose."

OPPORTUNITIES

Some of you may not realize that I run an opportunities “List Serve.” I scan different sources of funding on a weekly basis, compile these and send them out. If you would like to receive notices of funding opportunities for tobacco prevention, youth and community development please email me and let me know to add you to the list. If you already receive these notices you need not email me. J

I’ve  compiled all the notices I sent out last year and posted them on our website. Realize that most, of the deadlines have passed. The intent of the page is to let you see what was offered last year and perhaps allow you to plan to apply for these opportunities. Also, I haven’t edited or indexed any of the postings so it would behoove you to really check out thoroughly any opportunities that match your goals. If you are interested in seeing this page click here

REMINDERS

Don’t forget to order your student journals at least one week before your program is scheduled to start. You can place your journal order online at the same time you request your $50 mini-grant!

Another way of getting incentives is community donations. Explain to local businesses that you are trying to help teens stop smoking, and you will get anything from pizza to sodas donated. This is an excellent way of forming education/community partnerships.

Incentives   

Mini-Grants

$50 mini-grants are available to get your groups started.  The mini-grant can be used to purchase pencils, stress balls and most importantly, food!  We have heard many times, “If you feed them, they will come!”  Applying for the mini-grant is easy click HERE. 

 N-O-T Stipends

The West Virginia Department of Education’s continued support of the N-O-T program is allowing us to once again provide the $250 stipend for N-O-T classes and $100 stipends for ATS classes. Please remember that stipends are only awarded after all evaluation materials have been returned, unlike the $50 mini-grants that are provided before you begin your sessions.

Student Journals

Program expenses are kept to a minimum since we provide all required handouts for students in this “journal.” Blank pages are provided for the students to write in.

 ATS Stipends

Thanks to a generous grant from the Department of Education Office Of Healthy schools we now have $100 stipends available for facilitators who use the ATS program in their schools.

You can find all these resources and more at our web site click here à N-O-T

Free Technical Assistance! Points of contacts are:

N-O-T Program Manager

                                                        Tony Richards

                                                        American Lung Association

                                                        of West Virginia

                                                        tony@alawv.org

                                                        (304) 342-6600 or 1-800-LUNG-USA

Regional Tobacco Prevention Specialists

RESA I: Lori McGraw, (304) 256-4712 x331

RESA II: Sue Niestroy-Wilson, (304) 529-6205

RESA III: Cybele Boehm, (304) 766-7655 x114

RESA IV: Cheri Hall, (304) 872-6440 x19

RESA V: Gus Nelson, (304) 485-6513 x 122

RESA VI: Caryn Puskarich, (304) 231-3816

RESA VII: Adrianne Marsh, (304) 624-6554 x 238

RESA VIII: Donna Kuhn, (304) 257-2641